Will Wade is returning to LSU -- but Matt McMahon still hasn't been fired

The American Gangster is returning to the SEC, adding yet another threat to a league that already has too many. Will Wade, the ‘strong-ass offer’ king who was fired at LSU in 2022, has been rehired to replace Matt McMahon in Baton Rouge.

The kicker? McMahon has not yet been told he’s being fired, so things are a little funky with the Tigers as things stand currently.

On3’s Pete Nakos and Joe Tipton report that McMahon could be formally notified on Thursday and that Wade’s $5M buyout at NC State drops to $3M on April 1. Wade and LSU reportedly met on Wednesday to discuss a second marriage, but no agreement was reached. That appears to have changed quickly.

As of publishing time on Thursday, LSU has yet to formally notify Matt McMahon of his future with the Tigers, sources tell @JoeTipton and me for @On3.

The expectation is that the Tigers will part ways with McMahon. https://t.co/aCPGvd8tYY https://t.co/dKv873995k

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) March 26, 2026

Wade’s return comes on the heels of LSU working to hire McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer, who took a shot on the current NC State coach back in March 2023 after he was fired for recruiting violations, leading the Cowboys to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in ’24 and ’25. During his lone season with the Wolfpack, they finished 20-14 overall and 10-8 in the ACC with a First Four appearance in the Big Dance.

Wade boasts an all-time record of 266-119 in 12 years as a head coach. He’s 2-4 all-time against the Wildcats, but was always a thorn in John Calipari’s side from 2018-22, five of six matchups closing as two-possession games and three being one-score finishes.

Now, he’ll be callin’ Baton Rouge once again as a Kentucky competitor in the SEC.

As for McMahon, well, things weren’t great for the former Murray State coach. He finished 1-4 against the Wildcats, most recently an 87-82 loss in the first round of the SEC Tournament this postseason, along with Malachi Moreno’s game-winning buzzer-beater at LSU to complete the 18-point comeback. He never made the NCAA Tournament in his four seasons with the Tigers, including a last-place 15-17 (3-15) finish in 2026.

What will NC State choose to do to replace Wade? Well, the Wolfpack’s competition will be tough in the state — North Carolina also opened this week with Hubert Davis fired after five seasons in Chapel Hill.